(Rugby Canada) Langford, BC—Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team’s roster for La Vila International Rugby Cup has been named by Head Coach Kingsley Jones.

The 32-player squad will travel to Villajoyosa, Spain this November for the new four-team tournament featuring Canada, Spain, the United States and Brazil. 

Kyle Baillie, Tyler Rowland and Andrew Coe are all set to return to international competition, having been unavailable for the summer’s Fiji and Tonga tour. Baillie, who was named to the 2023 All-MLR Second Team following a strong season with Old Glory DC, will bring experience to Canada’s young forward pack. Recently re-signed with the Toronto Arrows, Rowland is one of the youngest yet most seasoned props in the MLR, and Coe, a fullback with Rugby World Cup and Olympic experience, was named to the 2023 All-MLR Honorable Mention Team following his second season with Rugby New York. 

Five players could earn their first cap for Canada in Spain. Pacific Pride Academy graduates Ciaran Breen and Zephyr Melnyk were named to their first senior men’s tour earlier this year, traveling with the team to Fiji and Tonga. Dewald Kotze, another former Pacific Pride player who has represented Canada at the U20 level, is coming off his first full season with the Dallas Jackals, with Seattle Seawolf Reid Watkins also on the hunt for his first cap. A standout player this summer with the Atlantic Selects, Jamin Hodgkins played with Canada’s U20 Men’s Rugby Team in 2022 and spent 2023 studying and playing in Wales. 

Joining the roster from Canada’s Men’s Sevens Team are Matthew Oworu, Josiah Morra and Josh Thiel. Both Oworu and Morra earned their first caps for Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team in 2022 ahead of the 2023 World Rugby Sevens Series, going on to play a significant role in Canada’s crucial Series Play-off victory earlier this year. Thiel, who debuted with Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team in 2018, returned to Canada’s men’s sevens program in January following three seasons with San Diego Legion. 

“I am greatly looking forward to working with this group in Spain and building upon our learnings from our summer tour,” said Head Coach Kingsley Jones. “We have 23 players on the roster who travlled with us to Fiji and Tonga, building continuity and cohesion. This is an exciting roster with players of varied backgrounds and experiences, along with many who have spent time with the Pacific Pride and our age grade teams. A common quality in each of these players regardless of experience is their work ethic and wholehearted dedication to the team. I know that they are all eager to come together as a group and get to work in Spain.” 

La Vila International Rugby Cup Schedule:
November 11
USA vs Spain 10AM ET
Canada vs Spain 2:00pm ET 

November 18
3rd-4th Game 10:00am ET 
Tournament Final 2:00pm